Love Me Today
by EmilyBaileyQuest
Summary: A short story about how I think Rachel died and how Race joined the family. Fair warning,it is bloody. It features a few unexpected friends. This is most likely going to be the first of many stories. Please review! :
1. Chapter 1

_**For Love**_

Five year old Jonny Quest sat at the kitchen table, coloring. His mother put a glass of juice on the table for him, and sat beside him. "Thank you Mommy." The boy said, his blue eyes bright. He looked up at her. "This is for you Mommy." He gave her the picture.

Rachel smiled at her son. "Thank you!" She replied. "This is beautiful!"

Jonny beamed at the praise. Mommy loved his pictures. "It's us, you, an Daddy an me an Bandit." He explained, "We're playing at the beach."

"It's wonderful! Let's put this on the fridge right now." Rachel said. She and Jonny were crossing the kitchen when she looked up and screamed. "Jonny!"

Three masked men had burst into the kitchen, guns raised. "Mommy!" Jonny screamed at the same time Rachel yelled, "No!" grabbing her son in her arms.

The men began firing as she turned her back to them, using her body as a shield to save her only son. Everything was happening at once now. Pain exploded in Rachel's back and legs and she fell forward onto her son. "Stay still." She breathed quietly, "Close your eyes and don't move."

Jonny was terrified, but obeyed his mother without question. The loud bangs stopped. Footsteps drew close.

"They're gonners." A rough voice said.

Rachel held her breath as the men left them bleeding on the floor. When she was sure they were gone she let out a gasp.

Jonny started crying. "Mommy, it hurts!" He whimpered, a red stain spreading across his shoulder. Then he saw her. "Mommy!" He cried.

She rolled off him and he could see the blood coming from several holes in his mother. "Mommy, no!" He gripped her hand, petrified of hurting her.

"Baby, oh Baby I'm so sorry." Mommy whispered. There was blood coming from the corner of her mouth now.

"Mommy don't leave me! I wanna go too." The child sobbed, clinging to his mother.

"No, Baby, you can't. You hafta…" She coughed a bit. "Stay with… Daddy. Daddy needs you." His mother told him. "Jonny, Daddy will… Need you… Baby, I'll always… be with you… Tell Daddy… I'm sorry…" Mommy coughed harder. "I love him… Jonny… Baby… I love you…"

Rachel's eyes focused on her sobbing child. He was so much of her beloved Benton. "I love you…" She repeated one last time. There, on the kitchen floor, her child gripping her hand, Rachel Quest breathed her last breath.

"Mommmyyyyy!" The boy wept. Snuggling close to his mother Jonny closed his eyes.

* * * * *

Benton knew the instant he drove up to the house that something was terribly wrong. The back door stood open and Bandit was barking loudly in the kitchen. How had the puppy gotten out of his pen? Where was… Panicked, Benton sprinted to the kitchen door.

"Noooooooooo!" He screamed. His wife lay on the floor on her side, her back covered in blood. A pool of dark red had spread around her. So much blood. Too much blood. Then he saw the blond hair his wife's shoulder hid, and he screamed again. "Jonnyyy!"

Bandit limped over to him as he dropped to his knees beside his wife and son. Rachel, oh please no… Benton wailed in anguish, his beloved wife was gone. And Jonny… Oh God no! His baby was bleeding too! Fearfully he touched his child's arm. He was still warm. "Jonny, Baby?"

Benton wept as his trembling hand dialed 911. He could barely speak enough to tell the operator that his wife was dead, and his son shot. Keeping one hand on his son's wound he rocked back and forth, willing his only child not to die. Minutes passed like centuries. Benton sobbed freely, terrified of loosing his son as well as his wife. If Jonny died too there was no reason to go on.

Benton waited helplessly for the ambulance. Beside him Bandit whimpered. For the first time Benton saw the puppy. He was covered in blood too. Bloody paw prints circled his son and wife's bodies. Bandit sat, his right front paw held off the floor, his left paw twitching. His muzzle was scratched and bleeding. Clearly he'd broken out of his pen to get to his family. Dropping the phone Benton lifted the puppy off the floor. If Jonny lived, oh please not if… If Jonny lived he would need Bandit badly.

One hand pressed to his son's shoulder, the other steadying the wounded puppy Benton could only wait for the sirens that were drawing near. If only they hadn't come too late for Rachel.

* * * * *

There was nothing to do now but wait. Benton sat in the waiting room at Rockport General Hospital, his head in his hands, praying for his child to live. Then he stopped. Who would hear his prayers? If there had been someone up there his five year old child would not be in surgery, hanging onto his life by a thread after watching his mother die. He spoke now to Rachel. "Please not Jonny too." He breathed.

"Benton?" Came the gentle voice of one of his friends.

Rocked by his grief for his wife the thirty-two year old didn't even look up. He didn't even remember calling anyone, but his friends had begun to arrive at the hospital shortly after him. Or was it hours later? Benton couldn't be bothered to care. His beloved Rachel, the mother of his son was gone. What mattered now but their child?

"Benton, we're here." Anther friend replied. At last Benton looked up.

"How did you know?" He asked. How could he sound so very normal when his heart had shattered? How could he be calm when his world was upside down? He looked into the eyes of his three college roommates, his best friends. "When did you get here?"

"You were on the phone with me when you got home." Answered Fenton Hardy, the owner of the gentle voice. "I called everyone."

"We've been here, all of us together, for a couple hours." Offered Carson Drew, the second friend.

"How is Jonny?" Wondered Tom Swift, the third roommate and a business associate of Benton's.

Benton shook his head. "I don't know." He whispered. My baby may be… The fear for his son brought Benton's tears back anew. Choking back a sob he buried his face in his hands once more. This time he felt the arms that wrapped around him, trying their best to comfort him.

The room was silent except for the sounds of the hospital and the clock on the wall. Was it ticking away the last minutes of Jonny's life? Benton's quiet sobs broke into the silence. Then there were footsteps.

"Dr. Quest?"

Slowly, fearfully Benton raised his eyes to see a doctor standing before him. "My baby?" He croaked.

The doctor knelt down to Benton's eye level. "He was shot in the shoulder. The bullet missed everything vital. It broke his collar bone and is lodged in his shoulder blade. We got what we could, but there's no way to get all of it out without removing bone. What's left is only fragments. They won't effect him. It'll take a while, but he will recover. He'll even regain full use of his arm, with time. "

"Can I see him?" Benton asked hoarsely.

"Yes, but I think you might want to change first." The doctor suggested. "I have some clothes you can borrow, you look about my size."

Benton looked down at himself at last. Blood, his wife's, his son's, Bandit's, covered the legs and knees of his khakis. It was streaked across his favorite shirt, the one Rachel had given him… Don't. He told himself. Don't think of how much you love her, of her smile, of… Don't remember, not now. Be strong for Jonny. Taking a deep breath Benton nodded his thanks.

Standing up, his three friends helped to steady him. Brushing away his tears Benton followed the doctor into his new life as a single widower with a child to raise alone.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Starting Over**_

Benton sat quietly by his son's hospital bed. It had been a long night. Not even twenty-four hours had passed since the death of his wife, his childhood sweetheart, the love of his life. Dawn was breaking outside Jonny's private room. Rachel had loved this time of day. It had been years since she missed a sunrise over the Atlantic. Now her beautiful blue eyes would never see another. It just wasn't fair!

Shaking his head Benton focused on his living son. One shoulder of his hospital gown was cut away to accommodate the bandages that covered his son's wound. A sling was strapped to Jonny's chest, preventing his arm from being further injured. An IV tube snaked its way up Jonny's good arm, providing him with vital medicine and painkillers.

"Benton?" Came a soft whisper from the door.

Not looking back Benton motioned for his friend to enter. His friends had been wonderful. None of them had left the hospital since they'd arrived here last night. One by one they'd stopped to check on him, or to bring him a drink.

It was Fenton Hardy who came to his side this time. "Benton, I need to talk to you a minute." Fenton kept his voice low. "Is that okay?" Benton simply nodded so Fenton went on. "I checked with my contacts over in the Agency. They've sent someone over. Do you want to meet him?"

At last Benton looked up, but only for a moment before returning his gaze to his son. "He'll what?"

"They want him to protect you and Jonny. We're working on it, but no one knows who did this. We need to keep you both safe." Fenton pointed out.

Benton just nodded in reply. Fenton turned away, but Benton suddenly gripped his wrist. "Find them for me. I can't do it, not now."

Fenton spoke softly, his voice full of conviction. "Whatever it takes, Ben. I swear they won't get away with this."

"I know, I trust you." Benton replied. He let go of his friend and Fenton left quietly.

Alone again, at least for the moment, Benton reached up to stroke his son's hair. While he'd been afraid for Jonny's life Benton knew he'd never have been able to live without both Rachel and Jonny. He'd even been contemplating how he would get a hold of a gun. He had decided that if a bullet could kill his wife and child, it was how he would die as well. With Jonny alive suicide was out of the question. He had to live, not for himself, but for Jonny. He was all that mattered now. From this moment on everything Benton did would be for Jonny alone.

A tap on the door roused him from his musings. Again instead of speaking he just motioned for the person to enter. Benton glanced up to see who had come in. The man coming to stand at the foot of Jonny's bed moved with a sense of purpose. His ice blue eyes seemed to be surveying the situation. He stood there, his feet firmly planted shoulder width apart. He appeared more than ready for action. In jeans and a red polo he was clearly not one of the doctors. This must be the man from the Agency. Without thought he turned back to his son. "You're from the Agency?"

"Yes, my name is Roger Bannon, but I go by Race." He said with a slight southern accent.

"You'll do." Benton said. Then he indicated the seat across from Jonny. "You need to understand something. You aren't here for me, you're here for Jonny. Whatever happens Jonny _must _live. If something happened and it's down to me or him you save Jonny. Period. If something happens to me get him to Fenton Hardy, he'll take care of him. You have to understand. My life is _nothing_ without Jonny." He lay his hand on Jonny's cheek. "He's all I have now. If you can live with that, you can stay." Benton finished.

"I understand Dr. Quest."

"Benton." He interrupted automatically.

"Sorry, Benton then. I do get it. When I was nine my father was murdered. I wasn't there, but I do get it."

Benton didn't think. "Yes, you can stay."

Without another word Race left the room. Benton heard him station himself outside the door. Good, this man was all business. It was just what Benton wanted. Settling in he waited silently for his son to wake.

In the silence of the room Benton had to fight hard to let go of his emotion. He missed his wife so much it was tearing him apart. Yet he refused to let himself give in to the tears again. Jonny needed him to be strong.

Time passed at a snails pace. Benton thought he heard someone come in at some point, but focused only on his son. The clock ticked the minutes away, each click driving a dagger in Benton's heart. He hated this waiting. Each minute had become another eternity without the woman he loved. Millions of minutes stretched on before him, all without his beloved. Jonny had so much time left too, and every minute would take him farther and farther from the memory of his mother as he aged. Benton hated time.

The sun was well up when it made it's way in through the window. Slowly it worked across the floor toward Jonny's bed. As if he it was a cue Jonny's hand twitched. His eyes flickered. "Mommy…" He breathed in his sleep. A tiny fearful cry was followed by a second. "Mommy!" The child's eyes flew open. "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" The scream tore over and over, seeming to come from his very soul.

"Jonny, Baby, it's me, it's Daddy." Benton leaned over to hug his child.

Yet Jonny continued to scream his mother's name. Unable to stand seeing his son hurting so bad Benton gingerly slid an arm behind his son's back. With extreme care he lifted his son into his arms.

Drawn by Jonny's screams a doctor rushed in. "Put him down, he can't be held right now." The uncaring doctor said sternly.

"To hell with that." Benton cursed. "Get out of here, leave us alone!" Much to his surprise Race stepped in. He pulled the doctor out of the room and stepped out himself. Benton saw him barricade the door with his body. It was all he needed to know. He turned his attention back to his child.

With care he stroked Jonny's hair, trying to comfort his son. "Jonny, Baby, it's me, it's Daddy." He repeated. He would _not_ tell Jonny it was okay. It would never be okay again. "I'm here Jonny, Daddy's here."

Slowly Jonny's eyes began to focus. "Mommy…" The boy whimpered, beginning to sob.

Tears stung Benton's eyes. "Oh Baby, I'm so sorry."

Jonny's blue eyes, Rachel's eyes stared up at him, red from crying. "Mommy?"

Benton couldn't check his tears this time. He shook his head. "Mommy… She can't come back this time Baby." He choked out. Being careful not to hurt his son Benton pulled Jonny to his chest.

"I want Mommy." Jonny sobbed. With his good hand he clung to his father's shirt with all his might.

"So do I Jonny." Benton whispered to his son. Hugging his child, Rachel's child, he let the tears fall. Rocked by grief the two surviving Quests' held each other tight, tears streaming down their cheeks.


	3. Chapter 3

**_To Say Goodbye_**

Five days had passed since Rachel had given her life to save her son. Five days of fear for Jonny, and of praying he'd be okay. There had been the shared grief with Jonny. There had been the devastation of planning a funeral for the love of his life. There had been the wars with the doctors for the right to take Jonny home. And there were the nights, those long terrible nights at the hospital when Jonny had woken from his restless sleep, screaming for his mother. That had been one of the biggest reasons why the doctors had let Jonny come home two nights ago. But even that hadn't helped.

Benton had been grateful to his friends for cleaning up the kitchen, and for looking after Bandit. Still, Benton and Jonny both refused to enter the kitchen. Benton had kept Jonny by his side, not letting him out of his sight all this time. Yet even at home the nights had been horrible. Jonny hadn't needed to ask to sleep with his father, Benton had just done it. The first night they'd stayed in Benton's room, but both of them had had horrific nightmares there, so close to Rachel. The next night they'd moved to one of the guest rooms, but even there the nightmares had persisted. Since Rachel's death Jonny had slept little, and Benton not at all. In his nightmares he saw his wife lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. Then too, he felt a deep need to keep watch over Jonny. Benton also had trouble getting Jonny to eat, but he wouldn't force his son to do what he hadn't been.

Days hadn't been much better. Benton had done his best to comfort his son over the loss of his mother. Nothing he said would help, he knew. Instead he made sure he was accessible to Jonny at all times. Yet it wasn't much help to either of them. Their grief just ran too deep.

Not even Bandit being home from the vet helped. In breaking out of his pen Bandit had shredded the pads on his paws. His feet were wrapped in gauze. His muzzle was still scratched from pushing at the kitchen's swinging door so he could get in. Yet like Jonny his physical hurts would heal. Still, even having his puppy just couldn't help Jonny break out of his depression.

Benton was only vaguely aware of his friends and their families surrounding him, helping where they could. He no longer cared about anything but Jonny. Why should he be bothered with a world that had stolen the love of his life? The only person he was truly aware of was Race. Benton had no idea what he would have done without the man. Race knew instinctively when Benton needed everyone gone and had no problem putting even Benton's oldest friends out. He even kept Rachel's father at bay, for the man was irate at his daughter's death and placed the blame squarely on Benton's shoulders, upsetting Jonny to no end. After two days of being kept out of the way by Race he had gone home.

All this had gone through Benton's head as he watched Jonny sleeping beside him. Today would be the hardest day of their lives. Today they had to bury Rachel.

With a sigh he brushed a few hairs from Jonny's eye. In his sleep he let out a whimper. Benton just couldn't watch his son go through this again.

"Jonny." He gently woke up his sleeping child.

Still frightened by his dream Jonny sat up suddenly, gasping. "Daddy!"

"I'm here." Benton hugged his son close. Lifting Jonny up he took him to the bathroom and got him ready for the day. Then he sighed again. Benton had gone so far as to not shower for all this time, just so he could stay by Jonny's side. Today, though, he knew he needed a shower. Yet he was loathe to leave his son. Making a decision he helped Jonny to the living room.

Here, as he'd hoped, Benton found his friends ranged around the room. All of them looked up in surprise at their entrance. Benton knelt down to his son's level. "Jonny, can you stay here, just for a little bit, while I take a shower?" He asked carefully.

Jonny's eyes went wide. "Don't leave me." He whispered.

"I'm not Baby. I just need a few minutes to take a shower, that's all. You know everyone here, they'll keep you safe. And Race will stay outside my door and keep me safe. I'll come back, I promise."

"Can't I stay with you?" His son begged.

Benton reluctantly shook his head. "Not this time Baby." He took Jonny's good hand. "I'll only be in the bathroom, and I'll be back in twenty minutes, or less if I can. I promise."

"But I don't want you to go." Jonny's lip trembled. "I'm scared."

Benton's heart lurched, but he couldn't give in. "It's only twenty minutes. That's all. You know you can trust these people. It'll be okay."

To Benton's relief his friend Fenton spoke up. "You can sit here with us if you want." He offered to Jonny.

"There, you see? Do you think you can stay with Fenton for just a bit, for me?"

Finally Jonny gave a tiny nod. Benton took him to Fenton and sat his only child in the arms of his best friend. He had to fight his own instinct to take Jonny back. "Twenty minutes." He reminded Jonny. Hugging his son one last time he left before he convinced himself to stay.

Even so once he was out of sight of the living room Benton had to lean on the wall for a moment. "I can't leave him." He whispered to Race, who had followed him.

Race helped him up. "You have to." He said. "Remember what you said, it's only twenty minutes."

Reluctantly Benton nodded. Race was right. It made it no easier though. Benton showered and trimmed his beard as quickly as he could. Still the full twenty minutes had passed by the time he made it back to the living room and his son.

Benton was surprised to see Jonny not in Fenton's arms, but his wife Laura's. Hearing footsteps Jonny looked up. "Daddy!" He cried pushing out of Laura's arms.

"I'm here." Benton swept his son into his own embrace. Holding Jonny close Benton carried him to the rocking chair and sat with him. Wordlessly he began to rock his son.

Snuggling into his father Jonny twined his hand in Benton's suit jacket. Benton resisted the urge to squeeze him tight. He was still afraid of causing Jonny further pain. So he contented himself with keeping Jonny close.

Though he wanted to be alone with Jonny Benton knew he could ignore his friends no longer. Looking around the room he realized at last that all three of his roommates and their families were there. Not yet ready for small talk Benton gave Laura a sad smile.

She understood all he'd meant to say but couldn't. "Any time you need us, we're here Ben." She said gently.

"Thank you." Benton managed. To distract himself he glanced at his watch. It was time. He wasn't ready yet. Moving to get up while still holding Jonny Benton suddenly felt dizzy.

"I'll take him." Offered Carson Drew.

"Daddy?" Jonny asked.

Benton handed his son to his friend. "It's okay Baby, I'm just a bit dizzy is all. Can you let Mr. Drew carry you? I don't want to drop you."

Jonny looked up into his father's eyes. "I can walk Daddy. Nobody hasta carry me." He slid off his father's lap. Giving his father his good hand the pair walked outside hand in hand.

A limo had come to pick up the group. As there were fourteen of them Race sat up front with the driver. During the ride to the funeral home Carson's eight year old daughter Nancy came to sit on Jonny's other side. Benton remembered suddenly that she too had lost her mother, though to heart disease.

Looking down at Jonny Benton had no idea how he'd make it through this day. Then, glancing up, he realized he didn't have to do this alone. Jonny shifted and Benton put his arm around him.

The ride to the funeral parlor took only ten minutes, but it seemed like forever. Because of Rachel's condition at the time of her death there had been no viewing. This was the last time they'd be able to say goodbye.

At the funeral parlor they took their seats in the front row. All through the beginning of the service Jonny held tight to his father, crying softly in his arms. The preacher spoke highly of Rachel's love of her family, her friends, and her art. These three things had brought the large group of mourners that spilled from the room into the hall. He said nothing of the murder, or of life being stolen. This was a memorial, and Benton had warned he wanted it to stay that way.

The time came for the mourners to speak. To the shock of everyone there Jonny went up to the front by himself. Facing his father he gave a sad sniff. "I don't hafta say goodbye. I hafta say thank you. I'm here cause Mommy saved me. She let me stay here for Daddy. She told me to tell Daddy something'. Daddy, she said she was sorry, and she said I love you… She said she loved me, an my Mommy died." Without another word Jonny came back to sit on his father's lap.

Tears streamed down Benton's cheeks as he embraced his son. "Oh Baby, I love you." Benton whispered. Looking down at his son Benton began to understand at last.

Rachel wasn't really gone. Still holding Jonny Benton carried his son to the front. He ran his hand along the photo of his wife that stood on an easel by her coffin. Then he knelt down to Jonny's eye level for the second time that day.

"Every day of my life I'm going to thank your Mother for giving you back to me. But I have to tell you something. As long as you live, Mommy isn't really gone. She's here in you Jonny. You look just like her. You have her hair, and her eyes. Every time you smile, Mommy is right here with us. Every time you laugh, she'll be laughing with you. As long as you live, Mommy will always be here, because you are." Benton hugged his son.

Understanding at last father and son walked back to their seats, hopeful for the first time that things would be okay.

I'd like to post a quick thank you to Hugo over at Yahoo Answers for his confirmation of the forensics and medicine in chapters one and two concerning Jonny's injuries.

This was written in just four days, beginning the fourth day after the death of my Grandfather. The loss was the inspiration for this story. The song, Love Me Today, by Nelson, was the inspiration for this chapter. I would have posted the lyrics, but could not obtain permission. If you would like to see them simply google Nelson Lyrics, Love Me Today. If only I could have included the song…


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